Chapter Two: Couldn't Be that Easy

Nyx

Four pushed me away and in a way I was relieved. I didn't have to hold myself back anymore because this would definitely create a rift.

I didn't know what I expected coming back... That was the thing about time jumping. You remembered where you came from and the other realities, if you were lucky enough not to get killed and have to start all over, but in time it all started to blur together.

Deep down I knew that I wasn't here to save Milo. He was my excuse out and he'd already decided on his own path. No, I wasn't even sure if I was strictly here to save Four. Maybe I just wanted to love him one more time... Or save my people from the Seers. Find my father and rule again? There were so many possibilities.

The one that had the strongest pull at the moment was to stop Four from becoming Riyo. Riyo was forced into being a harsh, cruel man. I'd loved him through it all but I knew how that ended-with him slitting my throat.

No thanks. Last time I saw a little further and saw a way to possibly fix this. Somehow I felt that knowing how to time jump meant that I had to do it even if there was something greater than myself that controlled everything.

I was in my thoughts, in my head big time when I noticed Three and Five at the breakfast table. Four had his back to me and I was doing what I could to appear normal but Three smirked.

He must've heard the noises last night. Bracing myself for it, I tried to stay away from Four, which only served to egg him on more.

"How was it?" Three blurted out. I gave Four a look, unable to stop my face from showing a look of mortification.

Four recovered quickly. "Uh... Same as usual. Were we too loud?" He sat down at the table next to me.

I hit him under the table but I'm pretty sure that he thought it was hilarious.

"No but it sounded intense. Did you move onto grappling?" Three chuckled as Five said "eww" and excused herself.

"It's been a while since you've been grappled hasn't it?" I shot back in disbelief. Why would he think we'd want to talk to him about this?

"Yeah. Sadly." Three paused. "So how was it?" He looked to both of us for details, lifting his eyebrows. Bold mother fucker.

"Four, do not answer."

"I wasn't but now..." He pressed his lips together. "Amazing."

I had to stop myself from blushing. Our chemistry hadn't faded in the least bit.

"Amazing?" Three was almost mocking us now. "Alright Nyx, spill. Is it love?"

"I'm outty."

Four

Nyx kept her distance from me since the Three incident but I'd done what I could do to intercept her. Some might call it stalking but would a fine ass mother fucker like myself need to chase after any woman?

No, but Nyx did something to me.

"Stop avoiding me."

"Stop following me. Like a puppy dog." Nyx responded back, pulling her hair back and out of the way. I noticed that it had gotten longer and sat just above her hip bones.

"It's not like you have anything better to do-"

"That's not convincing me Four. You said that it was just something that happened so let's leave it at that."

"Wow... You take things to heart." I was just inches from her now. "I didn't know you were so sensitive."

"I'm not Sen.-" The annoyance factor in her voice rose but I quickly silenced her.
This time it was my mouth that was the weapon.

"Hmmm... You still taste good." I kissed her again. "Yep. Better and better."

I was on my way and flirted just enough to to let Nyx know that I didn't mean what I'd said about it not meaning anything. If I wasn't careful, it was going to start to mean everything.

Four

Within a few more days we were into our next station. This time to refuel, sell some things and get some real food. That part of the mission was pretty smooth and now we just had to wait for Three and Five to get back.

The three of us had a few drinks, making it more difficult for me not to interact with Nyx. It was my idea to try and outsmart her. Nyx knew so much and I wasn't used to being bested.

Because I was the best.

"Red or blue?" I wondered smugly. I changed my mind so frequently that I barely remember what I picked.

"Blue."

Damn it.

"Try again. Two?," Nyx asked in her sexy British voice as I felt myself smiling. I liked a challenge. This could be done.

"How about a drink refill?" I suggested, raising my eyebrows at her.

"Really?" Nyx looked to Two who was copying my motions. "You too? What happened to female solidarity and the end of misogyny, the end of oppression… Girl Power?" She tried one last time.

"No. Go. Four's next time."

Nyx faked annoyance as I watched her walk slowly. She had just the right mix of strength and femininity, swaying without trying too hard.

"Go on." Two nudged me with a smirk.

"What?"

"I can tell that you like her and..: I approve. She brings out a happier side of you."

"Not like I need your permission-"

"Go before you miss the moment."

I was over there swiftly, standing to her right. My hands did the work this time, resting on the small of her back and then inching up, my fingertips leaving just the right amount of sensation.

She tensed up at first and then calmed when she realized that it was just me. Me on the other hand… my heart was beating so fast. I hoped that she couldn't hear it.

"Couldn't help yourself could you?"

"I'm… sorry." I sighed, a little intoxicated which would be my excuse for humbling myself later.

"For?" She turned to face me now. Still beautiful. Focus.

"If I ever made you think you were just some random… you mean something to me."

"Yeah." Nyx got closer to me, lingering just far enough away and toying with me. "Go on."

"I want to make it up to you."

She laughed a low, controlled laugh that was more than just a little sexy. I caught her chin in my hand, brushing my mouth with hers.

The tension was unbearable. We weren't quite kissing but so close.

"I want to have you. Now." I begged, again not like me. My mind was already scoping out a place where we could go, had been since we got into is place.

I looked at her intensely, daring her to push away from me. She was weak to me, I could feel it.

"We've got trouble guys." Two interrupted. Always interrupting… but this time it was the news feed that told the story. "Three, Five come in… Three, Five…"

I looked at Nyx worried now.

"The GA… we have to get out of here. Now."

Nyx

With Three and Five back on the ship safely I couldn't believe that we'd been so careless. Three almost died and neither Four nor I were at our best. I could feel him watching me and I was aware of his every step too.

I'd intercepted by stopping a guy who almost shot him from behind but in doing so I got wounded.

The encounter was all too… real. When we got back to the ship mostly everyone went their own way. I took off first, making it to my room alone because I needed a moment.

This was much more difficult than I realized. One stray tear followed by another and another fell, not because I'd gotten knicked up during the fight but because I was so terrified for him. This was just the tip of the iceberg, the beginning of all of the things that were to come. Four may not make it in this reality.

Overcome by my emotions, I didn't notice that someone else had walked into the room. I got the feeling after a while that I was being watched and quickly wiped away my tears. I'd keep any signs of weakness to myself.

Four

"I brought you dinner!" I announced after I'd studied Nyx for a moment. I couldn't quite tell what she was up to since her back was to me but this battle had been a close one.

More than one of us had almost died, converting the atmosphere on the ship into something heavy.

"You didn't have to do that," Nyx answered back softly, walking over to me. Something was off.

"What's wrong?"

"Don't ever risk yourself for me again. You're way more important than I am." She took the plate from my hands and put it down.

"I've been thinking…" Oh, the words of death.

"If I'm going to be such a distraction to you then maybe we shouldn't be together." She finished, her voice wavering ever so slightly.

"Really? Come on." I almost begged. She had me doing a lot of that lately. An emperor to be was not meant to beg but for this woman I was willing to step outside myself.

"I'm serious. If you had died out there.." I heard her sniff but then she masked her face by hugging onto me tightly.

I held her back, caught up in the intimacy of it all.

"Does this mean you forgive me?"

"Like hell! Of course not. What you did was unacceptable." The life came back into her voice for a moment. "Have you ever thought about how this is going to pan out… with you going to Zairon eventually, if that's still your plan?"

"It is and you're coming with me."

"I have no place there."

"We have no place not being together. Besides I can't watch after you if you're nowhere to be found."

"What if I refuse?"

"I'll have to change your mind then." I broke away from our hug, outlining her lips with my fingertips before giving her a series of kisses that would change her mind.

Nyx challenged me back, not showing she was as affected in the least. She wasn't letting up and I knew what I wanted to happen. I started to reach for the condom in my back pocket - so what if I planned all of this? - but then Nyx looked at me.

She was so vulnerable. I knew there would be time to put it down on her, but tonight I just wanted her to know that I was there for her. My body would just have to suffer for being overzealous, but for once it wasn't about me … just this one. Tomorrow, she'd better make it up to me.